J Cardiovasc Surg
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of urinary protease inhibitor on inflammatory response during on-pump coronary revascularisation. Effect of ulinastatin on inflammatory response.
Cardiac surgery in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) provokes a vigorous inflammatory response with substantial clinical implications. Once the inflammatory response is triggered by CPB, leukocytes and platelets are activated by multiple stimuli. The administration of a urinary trypsin inhibitor (ulinastatin) during CPB is hypothesized to reduce cytokine release and platelet activation and to decrease pulmonary injury. We performed a prospective randomized study to investigate the influence of high-dose ulinastatin on cytokines and platelet activation and on respiratory function during and after CPB. ⋯ Results suggest that ulinastatin may inhibit proinflammatory cytokine (PMNE, TNF-alfa, IL-6 and IL-8) release, reduce reperfusion lung injury and preserve pulmonary function but it fails to inhibit platelet activation and to prevent blood loss during CPB.
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Reoperations have become of increasing frequency in the last four decades. Redo surgery is more complex than primary surgery and is associated with higher mortality and morbidity. We present our immediate and mid-term results of mitral and aortic prosthetic valve replacement undertaken with beating heart technique. ⋯ Normothermic on-pump beating heart valve replacement offers a safe alternative to cardioplegic arrest in high-risk group. Complication rates are low and perioperative mortality is lower than with conventional surgery. Beating heart technique has the advantage of maintaining physiologic condition of the heart throughout the procedure.